I am so thankful that my inside baby is healthy, and I do not want him to be born premature. However, I am SO done being pregnant. I guess because it's my 3rd, the end of pregnancy has been harder. I feel HUGE. I have trouble bending over to put my shoes on. I am tired all the time, yet my pregsomnia has returned. The heartburn is in full effect, and this is my first time experiencing the pregnancy waddle- there's so much pressure that sometimes I literally waddle around because it's the only semi-comfortable way to walk. This baby is pretty active, and his movements are starting to hurt, I guess because he's running out of room, or because my uterus is all stretched out from having 3 kids in 4 years. My pregnancy brain has reached new levels- forgetting to go to the store on my way home (when I said I would while I was in the car- on my way home!), going to the doctor at the right time, wrong office, etc.
Something similar happened with Gavin. See, I had Kadence at 37 weeks, so when I found myself passed 37w, approaching 38 with Gavin, I was done. I felt like he was "late". Sure, it's not logical, but it made perfect sense to me at the time. But here I am, at only 35.5 weeks, hoping and praying he's born on New Year's Eve- that day, I will be full term. Now, of course I want him to come when he is ready and not a minute sooner. I just REALLY hope he's ready sooner rather than later. I still have a month (to the day) before my due date...and then that's just an estimate. He could take up to another two weeks! I can't do six more weeks. My poor husband, who has been an angel, can't take it either!
That's all. I am just ready. So so ready. Maybe this is God's way of helping me get over my fear of having 3 kids. Having 3 can't be as tough as this....right?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
A letter to the college conservative, Christine Rousell
Yesterday, I was directed to your blog post titled, "My Time at Walmart: Why We Need Serious Welfare Reform", via facebook. I was intrigued; after reading many accounts of unfair labor practices of Walmart, I thought you would discuss something about that, and how even with welfare, some people who work at Walmart still need further assistance- time off, health insurance, etc. I think I just glossed over the title, because I was sorely mistaken. I agree with you that we need welfare reform, and I don't think anyone, except those abusing the system, want to see people abuse the system. I also agree that in some cases, welfare and other forms of government assistance breed dependence- you know, the whole give a man a fish/ teach a man to fish mantra and all. I stop there though. After reading your entry, I've learned just how much I cannot identify with someone who is called a "college conservative". You seem to have quite a few restrictions on what people can do with their state provided money/food stamps.There are some things in your post that I'd like to address:
First off, you posted about a man who had been on welfare since 1991, you also pointed out that he bought alcohol. Did he buy alcohol regularly? If not, are you saying that someone who is on welfare is not allowed to drink? Ever? Further, could it be that the man was disabled, and that his social security disability is not quite enough to provide for him, even GASP, the occasional beer? I know two women, one of them my own mother, who are disabled, and you would never know just by looking at them or speaking with them in a check out line.
Other examples, like this one, "Extravagant purchases made with food stamps; including, but not limited to: steaks, lobsters, and giant birthday cakes." I wonder what your definition of "giant" is, and if it were a smaller birthday cake, would you approve? Can people on food stamps NOT have cake? Ever? Or just not one that feeds more than 5 people? As far as lobster and steak, that sort of contradicts your other restriction, which is "The majority of her food was void of any nutritional value." So, I conclude from your words that people on Food Stamps cannot get junk food EVER, nor can they get nutritious food that you deem an "extravagant" purchase. Am I correct? Also, do you judge the contents of those who pay with their "own" money- or possibly daddy's credit card, or possibly illegally acquired money? Can those people buy whatever they wish- feed their family junk food every night? I'm curious why you think you can decide what people buy if they are on state assistance. Making poor health choices does not equal welfare fraud, you know that, right? You can't. You must not know that because your beginning paragraph discusses the "massive amounts of welfare fraud and abuse", yet many of your examples miss the mark entirely.
You go on to discuss how rude/entitled nature of "many of your customers" which I take to mean "those people on welfare". You said one woman started yelling at you because her bell peppers did not ring up as food. Let me ask you something- did you tell her, "sorry, that's not food, you owe x amount, or did you use your common sense and say, "huh, it didn't ring up as food, but it CLEARLY is, let me get my manager." I am making an assumption here, but I'm thinking if it caused her to yell "It's food! You eat it", it was the former response. And for the record, I agree with her- do you not? I'd actually guess a bell pepper would be on your list of approved foods, as it is a fruit (yes... fruit, I looked it up). I have to say, I partially agree with you that people on Food Stamps, welfare, WIC, or whatever should not be rude to cashiers, but I don't stop there- I don't think ANYONE, regardless of age, race, gender, or socio-economic status should be rude to cashiers. We should treat those who serve us in that way with respect. I imagine you feel somewhat similar, but your problem isn't with rude people- it's with rude POOR people...which again, I think I need to point out to you- a rude person does not equal welfare fraud.
Here I go making assumptions again, but I bet you were snarky with people once you figured out they were on state aid. And how do I know that? Because cashiers were rude to me when I was on state aid. That brings me to my final point, and one of the main reasons I felt compelled to write this post. When my daughter was born in 2008, I was on WIC for about 7 months. I know all too well what you are talking about when you discuss the WIC pictures by stating that a woman who got some of her WIC items wrong "literally failed at image comprehension". It burns me up that you say such a thing because you imply that this woman is a complete moron, or blind. However, in my short experience with WIC I learned a couple things- 1. WIC stuff changes regularly, and unless you are at the WIC office, you aren't notified. Sometimes, the things on those little brochures with pictures are out of date. Secondly, the item may be correct, but the ounces could be wrong- it's very easy to overlook a 3oz difference on a box of cheerios when you're shopping. I know it happened to me sometimes; does that make me, a college educated, full time working wife and mother, a failure at image comprehension? To you, I would be no more than someone who is lazy, uneducated, and mooching off the system because my husband and I found ourselves in a tight spot- he's a full time student, by the way. You'd never know that about us though, Christine. You would only view us as "those people", and likely treat us accordingly. Of all the people you condemned and judged in your blog, I judge and pity you the most.
First off, you posted about a man who had been on welfare since 1991, you also pointed out that he bought alcohol. Did he buy alcohol regularly? If not, are you saying that someone who is on welfare is not allowed to drink? Ever? Further, could it be that the man was disabled, and that his social security disability is not quite enough to provide for him, even GASP, the occasional beer? I know two women, one of them my own mother, who are disabled, and you would never know just by looking at them or speaking with them in a check out line.
Other examples, like this one, "Extravagant purchases made with food stamps; including, but not limited to: steaks, lobsters, and giant birthday cakes." I wonder what your definition of "giant" is, and if it were a smaller birthday cake, would you approve? Can people on food stamps NOT have cake? Ever? Or just not one that feeds more than 5 people? As far as lobster and steak, that sort of contradicts your other restriction, which is "The majority of her food was void of any nutritional value." So, I conclude from your words that people on Food Stamps cannot get junk food EVER, nor can they get nutritious food that you deem an "extravagant" purchase. Am I correct? Also, do you judge the contents of those who pay with their "own" money- or possibly daddy's credit card, or possibly illegally acquired money? Can those people buy whatever they wish- feed their family junk food every night? I'm curious why you think you can decide what people buy if they are on state assistance. Making poor health choices does not equal welfare fraud, you know that, right? You can't. You must not know that because your beginning paragraph discusses the "massive amounts of welfare fraud and abuse", yet many of your examples miss the mark entirely.
You go on to discuss how rude/entitled nature of "many of your customers" which I take to mean "those people on welfare". You said one woman started yelling at you because her bell peppers did not ring up as food. Let me ask you something- did you tell her, "sorry, that's not food, you owe x amount, or did you use your common sense and say, "huh, it didn't ring up as food, but it CLEARLY is, let me get my manager." I am making an assumption here, but I'm thinking if it caused her to yell "It's food! You eat it", it was the former response. And for the record, I agree with her- do you not? I'd actually guess a bell pepper would be on your list of approved foods, as it is a fruit (yes... fruit, I looked it up). I have to say, I partially agree with you that people on Food Stamps, welfare, WIC, or whatever should not be rude to cashiers, but I don't stop there- I don't think ANYONE, regardless of age, race, gender, or socio-economic status should be rude to cashiers. We should treat those who serve us in that way with respect. I imagine you feel somewhat similar, but your problem isn't with rude people- it's with rude POOR people...which again, I think I need to point out to you- a rude person does not equal welfare fraud.
Here I go making assumptions again, but I bet you were snarky with people once you figured out they were on state aid. And how do I know that? Because cashiers were rude to me when I was on state aid. That brings me to my final point, and one of the main reasons I felt compelled to write this post. When my daughter was born in 2008, I was on WIC for about 7 months. I know all too well what you are talking about when you discuss the WIC pictures by stating that a woman who got some of her WIC items wrong "literally failed at image comprehension". It burns me up that you say such a thing because you imply that this woman is a complete moron, or blind. However, in my short experience with WIC I learned a couple things- 1. WIC stuff changes regularly, and unless you are at the WIC office, you aren't notified. Sometimes, the things on those little brochures with pictures are out of date. Secondly, the item may be correct, but the ounces could be wrong- it's very easy to overlook a 3oz difference on a box of cheerios when you're shopping. I know it happened to me sometimes; does that make me, a college educated, full time working wife and mother, a failure at image comprehension? To you, I would be no more than someone who is lazy, uneducated, and mooching off the system because my husband and I found ourselves in a tight spot- he's a full time student, by the way. You'd never know that about us though, Christine. You would only view us as "those people", and likely treat us accordingly. Of all the people you condemned and judged in your blog, I judge and pity you the most.
Monday, December 5, 2011
I've got nothing
Nothing to say, that is. I think I go through blogging and reading blogs in spurts, because sometimes I'm all over the place loving to read and comment on other blogs, plus posting my own. But then, times like these, I just feel Meh. I want to keep up with my e-friends, and I want to journal my pregnancy, thoughts, and feelings, but I'm not up for it. I'm the same way with Fresh GraNOLA right now. I didn't do any sales for the holidays. I haven't tried to grow my business in over a month. I LOVE what I do, but I have little to no motivation right now to do anything beyond what I absolutely have to do. I'm sure it's because I'm 32.5 weeks pregnant, but I'm not liking it. I want to be motivated, I want to stay on top of things, but right now, I'm just trying to keep my head above water. Things are fine, nothing is wrong....but there's SO MUCH TO DO before Dylan arrives. And once he arrives, there's going to be so much more. I need to stop worrying, do whatever I can, and leave the rest. At least, that's the stellar advice I'd give someone if they were in my shoes. I just don't know how to follow it!!
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